Somewhere under the desert's moon
by Hawaianangelgirl
Summary: Monica and Andrew are in love but they have to go on separate ways for a long time... He's somewhere where he is in a big risk and Monica's assignment refuses to help her to go back to him.
1. Default Chapter

Prologue 

It was a sunny day when none could think about anything going wrong. Monica had met her former charge, Gloria, and was walking with her in silence, thinking that any assignment that they may have to deal with in such a beautiful day would be easy to solve. More than anything, she wanted to be free to spend some time with Andrew... Maybe, she thought, they could spend the afternoon walking together hand in hand and talking about any simple thing that may come to their minds... She hadn't had a clue of what she was supposed to deal with when she had been required to meet Tess and Gloria.

When Monica saw Tess, the Irish angel smiled happily and hugged her supervisor, who even after the hug, didn't take her eyes away of what she was looking at. "Hi, Tess!" she said. "What a beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Not that fast, Miss Wings." Monica and Gloria couldn't avoid the concern in her voice. "Everything looks good now, but you should already know that things can change in a second."

"But, Tess," Gloria interrupted, "I don't see anything strange around here..."

Gloria hasn't even finished the sentence when a terrifying cry made the two younger angels turn to pay attention to what Tess was looking. A young woman was running out of an elegant house to meet her husband in the yard with a small kid lying unconscious in her arms, blood draining out if his mouth and nose. The man ran to meet his wife, took the little boy and got into a car. A second later, the three angels saw the car disappear around the corner.

Gloria looked at Monica questioningly, but the Irish angel only shook her head. "That's Senator Robert Grimsley," Tess finally said facing the younger angels, "and his wife Alice and their son, Mike".

"What's happening to the boy, Tess?" Monica asked.

"He's gotten Ebola, Monica," Andrew answered, appearing just right behind her.

"Andrew!" Monica felt her heart filling with joy at the sound of his voice, and a wide smile spread on her face when she turned to face him, wanting nothing more but hugging him. But all the happiness just fade away in a second when she saw that her beloved angel, as well as Adam, Rafael and Ronald were all dressed in their formal angel suit ready to go to work. Her voice changed from joy to a barely audible whisper. "Are you going anywhere?"

"Yes, beautiful," Adam said. "And this is not going to be an easy... nor a happy assignment." Having always been close to Andrew and Monica, the angel of death knew the deep love his two friends shared and he understood that being away was going to be especially painful for both of them.

"What kind of assignment needs seven angels?" Gloria asked. "Not to mention two angels of death..."

"Well, this is not a normal assignment", Rafael explained. "We are not the only angels working at this..."

"Where are you going?" Monica interrupted while she took Andrew's hand looking for some relief to the anguish she was starting to feel.

"The Congo" Ronald said. "There's an epidemic of Ebola there. Senator Robert and his family have just came back from a safari."

Knowing that this meant a long term separation from Andrew, fear had risen in Monica's heart before she decided to ask for a confirmation. "How long would you be out?" she heard herself asking but not wishing to know the answer.

Andrew tighten her hand and sighed heavily. "At least a month...", he said, just as afraid as she was of the tears that had started to glisten in her eyes. "Will you excuse us for a moment?" he asked their friends.

"Of course, baby," Tess said. "You need to talk".

The blond angel held Monica by the shoulders and walked with her a little away from the rest of the group. He could feel the fear in her heart, not a fear of never meeting again but of not having a clue about how to deal a long time without each other's loved presence. When she finally stopped and faced him, Andrew saw her bright eyes and felt his heart plunging to the bottom of his chest.

"A whole month without seeing you?" her voice was trembling and he could see in her face a silence hope of everything being a misunderstood. He felt his resistance about to cease, about to refuse going anywhere away of the little angel he loved so much. "I'm afraid so..." he took both of her hands and kissed them tenderly before meeting her sad gaze again. "I know this is hard, but you know that I have no choice..."

"And why can't I go with you?" she asked anxiously, a tear falling through her cheek. "If Rafael and Ronald are going..."

She was almost pleading and that was something Andrew felt he wasn't prepared to deal with. He couldn't deny anything to her, he would do everything she asked for, but this was not his decision... He took her face in his hands and gently cleaned up her tears with his thumbs. "But this time they are working as angels of death too. And I also know that God needs His best angel of truth right here. That's why you're staying".

The remainder of her mission as an angel forced her to regain herself, yet she felt her hands would be terribly empty without the contact of his body. She nodded slightly and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest, trying to remember since that very moment what that contact she was so used to felt like. "I know", she said. "I just don't know how I'm supposed to live a whole month without you".

"You know you're never away from me, baby", Andrew said in a low voice. "I carry you in my heart wherever I go."

"You know what I mean...", she replied. "I'm going to miss being with you like this". Monica held him tighter, rubbing his back slowly.

Andrew felt himself almost shaking with the love he felt every time he had Monica near him. Leaving her for some hours was one thing: he always knew he would surely be with her at night, she would be waiting for him and they would spend hours on each other's arms, talking about the day, the assignment or any other nice thing they could come up with. But leaving her for weeks... "I don't know either how I'm going to do this, sweetheart, if I can't stand two seconds away form you". He held her tightly, as if his entire life depended on her warm contact. "I'm going to miss terribly holding you like this, feeling you this near..." he whispered on her ear, "... but especially" he pulled her a little away, just enough to take her face between his hands once more, "... I'm going to miss kissing you like this...". Andrew leaned down to reach her slightly open lips that were waiting for his and kissed her slowly, tenderly first and more passionately later. He felt her melting under the feelings his mouth and his hands had risen in her and lowered his left hand to encircle her waist and pull her even closer.

"I'm going to miss you so much", she whispered finally stopping to kiss him.

"I know. But I want you to remember that I love you with everything I have on me, ok?", he said his forehead touching hers and caressing her right cheek.

"Ok... You do know I love you as well".

"I know", he said leaning again to give her one last quick kiss. "I've got to go".

Monica nodded and looked at her beloved angel walking to where Adam, Rafael and Ronald were already waiting for him, their hands refusing to release until the last moment. Tess and Gloria had come near her and the supervisor hugged her. "I know you're going to miss him, angel girl," Tess said with tender voice, "but the Father really needs you here".

"I know, Tess", the little angel looked at her, tears glistening in her eyes. "Let's go back to work".


	2. chapter 1

Chapter 1

By the time, Robert and Alice arrived to the hospital, Monica, Gloria and Tess were already settled in their posts at their new assignment. Tess was the first to meet them, working as an emergency nurse, quickly followed by Monica, who was supposed to be the attending pediatrician in the hospital.

"We'll take good care of him", Monica reassured the concerned parents as they looked their boy disappearing into the wards. "I may ask you to please stay here and think of what could possibly caused the bleeding, any symptom, any previous disease, something he might've eaten or some place where he might've gone where there were other sick people... I'll be back soon".

"Please, help him", Alice whispered between sobs. Monica placed her hand on her shoulder, gave her a little squeeze and a sly smile, and then got inside. Robert tightened his hold around his wife's shoulders trying to give her some strength while he himself looked for some back. Mike had been acting quite strange since they had come back from Africa, with occasional fevers and some symptoms of a cold, but both he and Alice thought it was just the change of climate from the sunny and hot days of Brazzaville to the rainy ones of Washington D.C. They went to look for a seat on the waiting room. Monica and Tess could see them so quiet, so worried... and so far away from each other.

"I'm so sorry for them, Tess", the little angel said, "but why do I have the feeling that you're not telling me everything?".

"I'm not lying to you, Miss Wings, if that's what you're trying to say!", exclaimed the older angel with an indignant tone.

Monica wrapped an arm around her supervisor's shoulders and softened her voice. "I'm not saying you're lying to me, Tess, I said I feel that Mike's not the only problem for Robert and Alice. There's something more but I'm not quite sure about it...".

"Well, I thought you would never notice it! As now you want every couple to be so perfect as you and Andrew are...", Monica cleared her throat to avoid the clear ironic note in Tess' voice. "Of course there is something more, something huge, and you're supposed to make them go through all this t o g e t h e r", Tess almost spelled every letter of the last word, "I only pray the Lord that your mind is clear enough to use what you've learned about love recently..."

Monica listen to her in silence, half laughing at the fact that the older angel still used to tease her about her relationship with Andrew, half praying God to help her to find the right words as He had always done before.

"What?" Tess asked when she found her charge looking at her almost without blinking.

"I love you too, Tess", Monica answered before kissing her cheek and walked to Mike's room. The young angel didn't see the tender smile on Tess' face.

"If you're thinking if she would like it, I think she would", Andrew heard Adam's voice right behind him. He had been looking a delicate silver necklace in a street shop in Brazzaville. They were supposed to find there Henry, an angel from Special cases who would be supervising them, but as there was no sing of him, the four of them were wandering around the zone that had come to be a crowded market.

"Do you like this?" Rafael asked as he showed Adam and Andrew a colorful T-shirt with an "I went on safari" legend and an enormous lion face across the chest.

"Well, not exactly angelic", Andrew said, "but I think it will suit your old jeans when we go back Home". Rafael laugh with his mates while they kept looking around to try to find Henry.

"This is strange", Ronald said checking his watch. "I'm perfectly sure that he should be here by now. If things are going the way they looked, we shouldn't be wasting time".

"Last minute change, I'm sorry". Henry had finally appeared behind them. He was sweeping, had taken out his jacket and bent his shirt sleeves over his elbows. "It's so hot around here". He took a tissue out of his pocket and cleaned his forehead. "I would say it's nice to see you, but under the circumstances..."

"Not exactly the best, huh?", Adam asked.

"In fact, the worst, I'd say. Things are going worse and every single day counts", Henry's voice was really concerned. Then he turned to face Andrew, who still had the necklace in his hands. "I really hope Monica can do her job fast enough. If this is not controlled, in a month the whole planet will be in danger. Everything depends on her".

"She will", Adam said. "She will not give up".

"Yeah, if there's an angel who can touch the hardest heart and change the closest mind, that's Monica", Rafael continued.

"May God help her. You'll see why...", Henry said looking at the four angels. "I trust her as well, but still I recommend you to pray for her. Let's go".

Andrew listened to the conversation in silence, slightly mad at the beginning for thinking Henry didn't trust Monica enough, and worried later because, by the sound of the special cases angel's voice, he had realized that the life of millions was in his beloved angel's hands... or voice. Adam looked at him silently, understanding what was in his friend mind, but not feeling able to force him to share his thoughts. "Shall we go, Andrew?", he asked, Ronald and Rafael some steps away with Henry.

"Yes", the blond angel answered. "Just let me pay for this".

Alice and Robert almost ran to meet Monica and Gloria when they saw them approaching. They had been there for more than an hour after arriving to the hospital with Mike lying unconscious and bleeding, and they were almost expecting the worst. Unfortunately, that was not too far from the truth.

"Senator Grimsley? This is Gloria", the Irish angel said to introduce her charge to the waiting parents. "Could you please join us? There's something we need to discuss".

"What's happening to Mike?", Alice voice was almost a whisper.

"Please, come with me", Monica offered her hand to her, and walked them to "her" dispensary. When they arrive, Gloria was the first to talk.

"I'm sorry for being so direct, but I need you to tell me: Have you been in Africa recently, The Congo, for example?"

"Yes", Robert answered, "we came back from The Congo a week and a half ago. But why?"

"Mr. Grimsley", Monica's voice was really serious and concern was also evident. "We are afraid Mike has got Ebola".

"No!!!", Alice shouted before she covered her mouth with her hands and began to cry openly.

"What? This is not possible", Robert was having a hard time to get all that Monica's words implied: Ebola was a mortal disease in most of the cases.

"Sometimes it's not easy to identify the symptoms", Gloria explained. "They seem like a simple flu, and when detected at that moment, the possibility of a full recovery is higher, but Mike was already bleeding, and..."

"And what?", Robert was almost furious.

Gloria looked at Monica for a confirmation to continue, and sighting she said: "The probabilities for him, now, are only 25. I'm sorry".

For some seconds, there was no other sound than Alice's sobs. Monica and Gloria felt really sorry but they knew they had to continue: every little precaution was necessary, not only for their own security but for the one of thousands of people in the city.

"He's already isolated", Monica finally broke the silence out. "We should recommend both of you to be isolated as well, but I will make an exception with you, Mr. Grimsley". Robert looked at her and saw a request in Monica's dark eyes, but he wasn't sure he would accept. Noticing he didn't answer anything, the little angel continued to explain. "You're a Senator and have influences in the government. We need to alert the authorities and convince them to send special help to The Congo..."

"No...", Robert shook his head.

"Otherwise, Mike will not be the only case in the US... There could be millions of sick people in days if we don't control this".

"You control it right here! I'm not going to ask for a permission to send doctors to die in there!", the Senator was almost shouting.

"But your son may not be the only one case. Don't you see it?", Monica had also risen her voice though it was still controlled.

Robert looked directly into her eyes, and she met the most empty gaze she could remember for a while. "My son is almost dead, you said that", he half murmured before rushing out of the dispensary with a big slam.

Any of the angels weren't prepared to see what they found at the crowded little hospital at Brazzaville: a thousand of sad dark eyes, empty of tears as well as of hope, bodies lying over the floor as beds weren't enough long ago, flies fluttering around bleeding noses and mouths that remained unconsciously opened... Three fans still fought a lost battle against hot in the improvised ward where some other angels of death were already giving comfort to the dying.

"Oh, God, be merciful!", Andrew whispered feeling the moisture of tears coming to his eyes, just as Adam, Rafael and Ronald stayed like petrified behind him.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Do you see now why I told you to pray?" Henry asked the four angels. "And it's been just two weeks. It all started with one single sick person, and now we don't know how many are sick. Just in this hospital we've attended more than 1 500, but we can't know the number out of the city. A whole town could disappear in days if they don't control their sick people."

"But if that little boy is already sick in Washington... he could infect many other people," Rafael voice was almost trembling.

"In fact, he has," Henry's words were the confirmation of what all the four angels were thinking. "I'm afraid Tess, Monica and Gloria will have a hard work to do."

"You need to have faith, Alice," Monica said to the crying woman who was standing in front of the window that separated the isolated room where two nurses covered from top to bottom worked over little Mike. The Irish angel was also wearing gloves and a surgical mask.

"Please, tell me this is a bad dream. This cannot be happening."

"I wish I could," Monica's voice was trying to be reassuring. "Although, I have to tell you that you'll be isolated as well, but if you want you can stay with Mike, as long as you don't touch him with bare hands."

"Yes, I want to be with him," the teary gaze of the mother penetrated Monica's heart and the little angel squeezed Alice's shoulder.

"Come with me, we'll get you the suit."

"I'm sorry, I don't even know your name," Alice said, realizing that she didn't know how to call the angel that had been so nice to her.

"Monica."

They entered a little room where another nurse handled Alice a blue gown, a hat, gloves and a surgical mask. She was helped to get dressed and that only make her felt more like living something unreal.

"I'd like to apologize for Robert. He's a good man but this is so hard," Alice said lowering her eyes.

"Don't do it. It's not necessary," Monica felt a wave of compassion at the worried face of the woman who was having so much trouble to deal with everything, her son as well as her husband. "I know this is a nightmare for you. I don't blame him for being angry, but I really hope he'll think better about what I asked him."

"We made that trip for Mike; we have had some hard times lately and the kid resented them so bad we thought we could make up things with a safari. You know kids, a safari was such an adventure for him!" Monica and Alice left the little room and walked down the corridor to Mike's room. "Are you married, Monica? Do you have children?"

The Irish angel smiled at the simple thought of she and Andrew sharing a family life. "No, I'm not married, neither I have kids."

"But you're in love?"

Monica's smile grew larger and a special glint appeared in her eyes, the special glint reserved only for Andrew. "Yes, I am."

"Then you can understand what I mean. I wanted to save my marriage and my family. I love Robert. God! I'd like he was here!" Alice leaned over her son and brushed a lock of his hair that was over his forehead.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon, Alice. He loves you and he loves his son," the angel felt she was starting to understand what Tess meant with there was something huge in this assignment.

"Yes, he is his son," Alice whispered without paying attention to Monica's puzzled face.

The angel chose not to ask more and, instead, she left her alone with her son. "I'll be back later. If you need something, call for the nurse, ok?" but she got no answer. She closed the door and stood in front of the window, watching at the mechanical stroking of the woman on his child forehead.

"This family has been built over a lie, isn't it, Tess?" Monica asked when she felt her supervisor presence.

"Yes and not, baby." The younger angel turned to face her, unable to understand the contradiction in Tess' answer. "There's a lie, it's true, but there are also many truths in this family, and one that should never be forgotten: there is love between them, angel girl, and you better than any other angel know that love itself is worthier than any mistake the person you love could ever make."

"But Robert has forgotten that," Monica sighed.

"Yes, and so has Alice, baby."

"Andrew, this is Dr. McKinney," Henry said introducing the blond angel to a dark skinned man. "He's in charge of the hospital right now. The... hum... the original director died two days ago."

"Nice to meet you, Dr. McKinney," the angel shook hands with him.

"Please, call me Jack," he said. "I'm glad you're here. We need all the help we can have."

"That's why we're here. Oh, and these are Adam, Rafael and Ronald." The other three angels shook hands with him too.

"Thank you. I'll take you to where you'll be staying."

Jack took the four of them to a 2 level building that seemed to be the highest building in the zone. It was placed at the end of a road and behind it there was nothing but the open field, beautiful and calm as if it were a little part of the paradise. There was a big terrace on the second floor with open view to it.

"Your rooms are ready. You won't have to share them, there's plenty of room for everyone," Jack explained. "I hope you'll be comfortable." They crossed the living room and Jack added, "Feel free to use the phone. I can imagine you'll want to call your families or someone else," he smiled at seeing Andrew blushing slightly after Adam and Rafael elbowed him teasingly.

An hour later, the blond angel went to find Jack back at the hospital. He was wearing the safety equipment already, and when he arrived the doctor was closing the eyes of the woman lying in front of him. The angel looked in front and saw Rafael, all dressed in white, offering a hand to the soul of the woman.

"Her little son died yesterday," Jack told Andrew when he covered the corpse. "She told us they had already buried her husband before they came to the town. We're losing more than a hundred people everyday between here and the other hospitals, but we have no exact records of the deaths in the villages. We're desperate now, that's why we've asked help."

"Where have you asked for help? The World Health Organization?"

"Yes, but we also hope to get help from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. They're doing research about epidemics and I truly believe they are most capable to handle this. Unfortunately they are refusing to come. I know this scares them, but the whole world is in danger if we don't control it. My last hope is a woman I talked to yesterday. Her name is Tess."

"Yeah, I know her," Andrew said.

"You do?" Jack asked surprised and saw the angel nodding. "She said there was someone else who could help us, another woman..."

"Monica," he guessed.

"Yes! Don't tell me you know her too?"

Andrew smiled, his heart feeling sad at the memory of her. "I do... I know her very well."

"Well, I really pray for her to help us. I wish she could some and see what you've just seen."

"It's not necessary, Jack," the angel of death told him placing a hand on his shoulder. "Monica doesn't have to see this to believe you need help. She has the most compassionate heart of the world and I can assure you she's already doing everything to send help."

"She must be something for you to talk like this about her..." the doctor commented in surprise with Andrew's words about the little angel.

"She is," he said smiling. "I hope one day you can meet her... under better circumstances."

"How are you feeling, Mr. Grimsley?" Monica asked the man who was looking at his wife and son through the window of the isolated area of the hospital.

"How do you think?" he replied sarcastically.

"I know you must feel terrible for Alice and Mike, but actually I was talking about your health. I didn't ask you to be isolated for what I told you before, but if you show any symptom as fever or muscular ache, you will have to be admitted as well."

Robert turned to look at the Irish angel and leaned heavily over the wall. "No, I don't feel bad at all. I'm ok."

"Alice asked me to let her stay with your son. She told me the last few months have been pretty hard for you..."

"Yeah... That's why we had the idea of the trip. She proposed Disney but I wanted something more. It was me the one who thought about going to The Congo. I never thought something like this could happen!"

Monica placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "This is not your fault, Mr. Grimsley. You wanted to give your son something to remember and you did."

"Yeah... and I gave him his own death."

"Robert, the next two weeks will be critical for him. If he survives them, he may have a good chance to recover. He's here under a good care, getting the medicines that cannot cure him but that can help him to fight. But there is an epidemic at The Congo, and thousands of people are lying on the floor just waiting to die! Please, you have to help me, you have to help them!"

"You've said it, doctor...?"

"Call me Monica."

"Ok. You've said it, Monica. Here we have the conditions, medicines, special clothes! There there's nothing! My job as a senator is to protect the life of the citizens, not send them to risk it!"

"A fancy hospital is not what they need!" she replied feeling desperate at how her words crashed with a wall again. "If Mike is not the only case, we won't have a single chance either! Do this for your country, do this for your own son!"

"My son? I don't know if..." Robert stopped not wanting to discuss his worries with a complete stranger. "There won't be any more cases, Monica," he said.

"How can you know?!"

"We're in America, we're lucky, we've always been lucky," he said with a forced smile.

"I wouldn't call it luck."

"Call it the way you want to. Mike will be the only case. Oh, and I need to ask you something. Please, don't inform the press about this. You don't want to cause a massive panic, do you?"

The little angel's hands were tightly wrapped in fists, her nails almost hurting her. How could this man be so blind? She closed her eyes and mentally asked for help and guidance, though what happened next scared her more and let her wondering about the near future.

"Monica, you need to come immediately!" Gloria said almost breathless running to the angel and the man.

"What's going on, Gloria?" she asked.

"We have two new cases of Ebola on the ER! A flight attendant and Mike's teacher!"

Robert's blood froze in his veins but what he would never forget was the penetrating sight in Monica's brown eyes.

8


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Brazzaville, 2:00 a.m.

The front desk of the hotel where they were staying was empty and the only source of light were a couple of lamps at the living room. Andrew walked towards the couch and took a seat, heavily leaning over his back and sighing. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his thumbs.

"How many?" Adam asked taking a seat beside him a couple of minutes later.

"27... you?"

"30." They remained silent for some minutes, then the older angel of death said, "I can't believe this is happening! That many a day?"

"Yeah... I know..." Andrew replied with a sad voice.

"I wonder how long will it take for Monica to send the help we need."

"I hope she doesn't have to come," the blond angel said firmly, and looking at Adam he added, "I don't want to see her suffering, Adam, and this is so, so hard. I want to see her again, but I don't want her to watch this. You know her, her heart would break in pieces."

"You're right..." Adam conceded. "This is too much for anyone. But you're dying to know when you'll see her again..."

"Of course," Andrew replied quickly. "I need her now more than ever. It's just that..." he sighed, "that I feel this is the hardest assignment the Father has given me! I mean... some have been really hard... wars, bombs, natural disasters, but this time these people know they are bleeding to death, they know their insides are melting into nothing but blood, and we can't do anything, not even to ease their pain! I look into their eyes and all I can see is a silent prayer for death to come as soon as possible and... I... I am praying with them for it to happen, Adam! How can I...?! What kind of an angel am I...?!"

"I understand you, Andrew..." Adam said in a calm voice. "Because I feel the same way."

"Days, weeks... how long will it be?"

Adam just shook his head and sighed. Then he checked his watch. "It's just 7:00 p.m. in Washington. You can talk to her."

Feeling his heart too heavy with sorrow, he stood up and walked to his room barely murmuring a "Good night" to his partner.

Washington – 7:00 p. m.

Monica walked into her office and stood in front of the window, absentmindedly looking to the dark city in front of her. She couldn't believe what was happening: in a matter of hours, she had 15 people admitted, all with the possibility of being infected as they had had contact either with Mike, his teacher or the flight attendant. "Father," she prayed closing her eyes, a couple of big tears rolling over her cheeks, "please help me understand what Your plan is here because right now I can't figure it out..." The ring of the phone interrupted her and she picked it up. "Yes?"

"You have a call from Brazzaville," the receptionist told her.

Monica felt her heart jumping with joy. 'Andrew!' she thought. "Yes, put it on line." She waited until the call was connected. "H-hello?" she asked somehow uncertain.

"Hello, sweetheart," said the familiar male voice, though this time it was clearly sad.

"Andrew..." she could say before a sob broke her voice.

"I guess your day was pretty hard, huh?" he added, his heart feeling sadder with the tone of her voice. "Bad news with Robert?"

"He doesn't even want to talk!" Monica choked. "He ran away! He hasn't come back to see his wife or his son! He refuses to believe this is happening and he has even forbidden me to talk to the press!"

"Forbidden you?"

"He thinks we can handle everything here, but he hasn't come back so he doesn't know..."

"He doesn't know what, Monica?" the blond angel asked fearing something really serious.

The Irish angel sighed. "He doesn't know we have two more cases and I have had to admitted other 15 people with symptoms..."

"You mean you have 18 Ebola cases already there?!" he shouted standing up quickly. "In one day?!" He hardly heard the tiny "yes" that was Monica's reply. "Oh, Father, what are we going to do?!"

"How many do you have there, Andrew?" she managed to ask.

He pondered the possibility of not telling her the truth, of hiding it, of hang up the phone to spare her the worry he knew she'd get, but finally he spoke. "Honey... we don't know... Only Adam and I took 57 people Home today..." Andrew heard the noise of her chair and she starting to sob, and his heart ached with the need to be by her side and hold her close. He knew her, he knew how impotent she should be feeling knowing so many people were dying and she could do nothing to stop it. "Angel..." he finally murmured.

"I'm not prepared for this, Andrew!" she exclaimed and surprised him. "I'm not ready to hold in my hands the lives of so many and know they are slipping away through my fingers and I can't do a single thing to help! This is too difficult! I'm not the right angel for this!" she was openly crying now and she wanted nothing more but to be with him and feel his strong arms circling her body, protecting her, his hands stroking her hair and soothing her soul in the process.

"Nonsense, baby!" he gently admonished her though he really meant it. "God knows you're the right angel for this, that's why He put you there! I... I was doubting myself that I could be useful here, but now, hearing you questioning what I was questioning too, makes me see He was right. We have to go over our pain and our fear and help Him to help them. You can do it, angel girl. Just remember the Father never gives you a task you can't accomplish. He will never ask you to do something impossible."

Brazzaville, 8:00 a.m.

"Sam!" Andrew exclaimed at seeing his formal supervisor. 'This can't be good' he thought.

"Nice to see you, Andrew," the dark skinned angel said. "It's been quite a long..."

"What are you doing here? I mean... It's obvious this is a mess but..."

"I know," Sam said placing his hand over the blond angel's shoulder and walking with him. "This time I came with some good news, boy. The World Health Organization had ordered to send help here. They are arriving day after tomorrow."

"Thanks, God!!!" Andrew almost shouted. "That's great! So Monica got her job done?"

"I'm afraid no and the help is not what we expected. They are only sending five doctors and some supplies, but none of the experts of the CDC's. I heard Monica got some trouble in Washington..."

"Three confirmed cases, 15 suspicious... Sam, the more I think, the less I can find a solution or a way to stop it! What can we do?"

"Go meet Jack and the others for a start is a good idea. We have a plan and they are waiting for us. When was the last time you went out camping?"

"Camping?!" Andrew asked surprised. "Camping like what?" he added feeling that marshmallows and a bonfire wasn't exactly what Sam had in mind.

"Camping like spending a good week or so sleeping under the stars... without the marshmallows," the supervisor told him reaching for the door of the hospital.

Washington, 7:00 a.m.

Monica was walking along the corridor with a big cup of coffee in her hands. She had spent the night watching over her patients and admitting five more, and she felt that her human form really needed the caffeine this time. She felt tired and sleepy, and that was not a normal feeling for her.

"Hang on a sec," the little angel heard a nurse telling someone on the phone when she passed by the nurses station of the infectology ward. "Dr. Monica, it's for you!"

Monica took the phone wishing it was Andrew again. It was strange for her to have to use the phone to talk to him but at the moment she would take what she could have... "Hello?"

"You're exhausted, I can say that," the blond angel told her as soon as he heard her voice. "I guess you didn't take a rest last night and now you have a big cup of coffee right beside you."

"Touchée!" she chuckled feeling like a little girl caught with her hands on her mom's make-up. "Good morning, sweetheart," she greeted.

"I guess Tess is too busy this time to be concerned about your caffeine level," he was trying to joke but the concern in his voice betrayed him.

"How are you doing?" Monica asked now seriously.

"Sam's here," Andrew told her at once. "He came with a special commission from the WHO. They are sending some doctors, but not exactly what we need."

"I will contact Robert today. He has to know about the new cases I got at night."

"While that happens, baby, I have something to tell you..." he announced. "I... hum... We are going to the town where it all began. It's at the end of the jungle, right where the big savanna starts. There's no phone there so I won't be able to call... Jack and Sam think monkeys can be the source of infection and we're going to find out..."

A big fear set in Monica's heart at hearing this. She didn't know why but she had a bad feeling about the trip. "Please, don't go," she said automatically, "don't go, Andrew!"

"Monica, you know I have no choice. I have to go... I don't like this more than you do, but we have to do all we can, you right there and me right here."

"Please, take care. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. I miss you," she said slowly and he smiled immediately.

"I miss you too, angel girl," he told her quietly. "I promise I'll be back as soon as possible... I so want to hold you..."

"So do... I... A... A... Achoo!" she tried to reply.

"Bless you!" Andrew said automatically before realizing what was strange in the situation: had Monica just sneezed? "Did you sneeze?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah... it seems so," the little angel answered surprised too. "I guess I'm really tired this time," she tried to sound cheerful but Andrew wasn't about to joke.

After a long second of silence, the blond angel asked, "Monica, you are taking all the precautions, aren't you?"

7


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Brazzaville 9:00 p.m.

The sound of the crickets filled the hot air of the city and the moon and the stars seemed to keep an eye over a place so full of pain the last days. Jack walked towards a lonely figure who was sitting over a big rock on the country yard of the hotel.

"Nice," the doctor said looking at a silver necklace. "Is it for someone special for you?"

"Yes."

"A girlfriend maybe? 'Cause I can take you to a place where you can find small diamonds, good price," Jack added taking a seat at his side.

"Thanks, Jack... I'll appreciate that."

"What's her name?"

"Monica," the blond angel of death answered. "Her name's Monica."

"The one that is supposed to help us? I understand now why you talk about her the way you do it!"

"The way any of us would talk about her," Rafael told the doctor coming closer with Adam and Ronald.

"You all know her?"

"Oh, yes!" Adam replied. "We've all known her for years."

"But you don't need to know her for years to learn to admire her," Ronald explained. "I'm probably the one that has spent less time with them and I still admire her job a lot!"

"You seem to be a very lucky guy, Andrew," Jack said patting his shoulder. "I used to think that way about myself but... life is not always fair... Sometimes is very cruel, I'd say." The four angels saw him standing up and walking away and knew there was much more behind those words.

After some moments of silence, Adam took a seat beside his co-worker and asked him, "Did you tell her we're going into the jungle?"

"Yes, I talked to her in the afternoon..."

"Why am I under the impression there's something you're worrying about?" the older angel of death said.

"I... yes, Adam... I'm worried. Something very weird happened today. When we were talking, Monica sneezed."

"Sneezed?" Rafael asked. "You mean a real sneeze?"

"Yeah!" the green eyed angel exclaimed.

"Come on, Andrew! You're not thinking..." Adam started.

"Oh, no, that's not possible!" Rafael replied understanding what Adam was saying. "I mean, she's an angel, she's there to help, she can't get sick!"

"She can," Ronald said and immediately saw the accusing faces of the other three angels. "R-remember Tess got Alzheimer once!"

"That's not gonna happen, Andrew!" Adam said trying to reassure him.

"No, the Father wouldn't put you together to separate you now!" Rafael said. "Come on, you two seem to be done one for the other, as if it was His will you two came to be together at the end!"

"That's because it is, boy!" Ronald interrupted and the three looked at him again. "It was His will. He knew it when He created you two and when He sent you to work together! Remember there's no such a thing like coincidences!"

"Is it in your files, Ronald?" Andrew asked.

"Kind of... I mean, it didn't say you would fall in love but... the Father knows which of His angels can work together and make a good team... But the files are not oracles, so I have no idea of how this is supposed to end."

Washington 3:00 p.m.

"You should think about eating something in fact if you're planning to spend all the nights without sleeping, Miss Wings," Tess told Monica when she saw her young charge playing distractedly with the food in the plate in front of her.

"I don't feel like eating, Tess," Monica replied pushing away the food. "I wish time could pass faster and we could know how all this is going to end."

The supervisor took a seat in front of her at the table of the cafeteria where they were. "Are you telling me that you don't trust the Father to be able to take something good out of all this?"

"No, Tess, no. It's just that... diseases are always so hard to understand... So many innocent people and such a horrible feeling of helplessness..."

"We have to trust, baby! And help the Father as much as we can where he chose us to be! He'll see us through!"

"I know, but..." the young angel said with eyes full of tears. "Things are not going well... Andrew and the others are going to the jungle and I can't help but having a bad feeling about it! I wish I could be there with him!"

"Calm down, angel girl!" Tess said reaching for her hand. But when she took it, she exclaimed, "Monica, are you alright? You're too cold!"

The Irish angel was wiping her tears away. "I-I'm a wee bit cold... It's a little chill here..."

"Chill? Baby, it's like 30ºc outside!"

Next day. Impfondo 8:00 p.m.

The sound of the river running along the town welcomed the two jeeps that arrived that night. Sam, Adam, Rafael, Andrew and Jack climbed out of one and headed to the house their guide pointed out. A middle-age man joined them at the door. "You must be Dr. Jack McKinney," the man said shaking hands with the dark skinned doctor. "Thanks God you're here! My name is Raymond Mberi."

"Nice to meet you, Raymond," Jack replied and then introduced the group of angels.

Sam and Jack were at the head of the group and spent some more minutes talking to Raymond; Rafael, Adam and Andrew a little behind, listening to what the man was saying. None noticed a pair of black, bright small eyes that were checking on them until they heard Rafael's scream. "What on Earth!" the younger angel said when he felt a sudden weight jumping to his back and taking away his cap.

Andrew and Adam practically jump in their places and turned to see their friend. Then they couldn't help but laugh at what they and the rest of the group saw: on a high lamp there was a monkey now "wearing" Rafael's cap.

"Hey, you! Give me my cap!" the angel exclaimed.

"That's Nikki," Raymond said. "It's my daughter's pet. And that's his particular way to introduce himself."

Rafael turned to see Adam, Sam and Andrew who were all the three fighting tears for laughing. "He scared the death out of you, pal!" Adam managed to say, his face all red.

"Very funny..." the younger angel mumbled. "Ok, Nikki, nice to meet you. Can I have my cap back?" he said coming closer to the monkey, but the little animal jumped and got out of the angel's reach.

"Nikki, come here!" Raymond ordered but the monkey showed him his teeth as if smiling at him. "We have to distract him."

"You call him, I'll take the cap," Jack suggested to Raymond, carefully walking towards the pet.

"Ok, Nikki, look. Come here and I'll give you a banana," Raymond said patting his shoulder.

The monkey seemed to consider the offer as he examined his owner trying to find out the truth. Jack took the chance to reach for the cap but when he pulled it, Nikki felt the movement and attacked the cap biting Jack. "Ouch!" the doctor shouted covering his hurt hand with the other one. "You stupid monkey!"

"Jack, are you ok?" Rafael asked and Andrew and Adam came closer to examine his hand, their laughter now forgotten.

"Nikki, come back!" Raymond shouted at seeing the monkey disappearing in a near tree. "Oh, doctor, I'm sorry! He had never done something like this!"

"I'll be alright, don't worry," Jack said. "But we'll have to get you a new cap, Rafael."

Washington 10:00 p.m.

Monica yawned deeply before she opened the door of the isolated room where Mike and Alice were. The boy seemed to be fighting for his life although he had had to get fluids, blood transfusions and special drugs to keep his heart beating. Her mother had never left his side and the lack of sleep was now evident in her face. "Good night, Alice," the Irish angel greeted, her voice muffled by the surgical mask. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, I guess," the woman answered. "The nurse has just changed his IV. She said his vitals are still..."

"I see Mike is doing as well as we could hope," Monica continued checking his file. "But now I want to know how you feel. You look rather pale..."

"Oh, I'm fine..." Alice said taking a seat on the chair right beside her son's bed. "I'm tired and worried, but I keep on praying for a miracle..." she stoked the boy's cheek. Monica saw her and took a seat at the end of the bed. After some seconds, Alice turned to see her. "Are you alright, Monica? You too look pale..."

"No, I'm fine... Just tired... I... hum... I called Robert today."

Alice met her gaze immediately, hope written all over her face. "And what did he say?!"

Monica felt a knot forming in her stomach and played nervously with her pen and notebook. "I couldn't talk to him. His secretary told me he was on a trip..."

"He had to go to Colorado to a reunion with American ministers of Health and some people from the World Health Organization. Isn't it ironic?" Alice asked. "They were discussing some special plans to send help to Africa to fight AIDS..."

"That's the perfect chance!" Monica exclaimed with renewed hope. "I hope he talks about Ebola this time!"

"I don't want to disappoint you, but I wouldn't bet," Alice said pessimistically.

"Why?"

"I know Robert. He's hurting... I hurt him and he can't forgive me..." the woman said fighting the tears that were now forming in her eyes.

"Alice, I understand you have family problems and I know we don't know each other very well, but if there's something I can do to help... The epidemic is my priority, it's true, but I'd like to help you," the little angel said reaching to squeeze the woman's hand.

"I lied to him, Monica. I lied to my husband for eight years... He discovered the truth and I can't blame him..." Alice met Monica's sight and she continued. "Mike... Mike is not his son, Robert can't have children but I made him believe the contrary. When I discovered his infertility, I secretly asked for a sperm donor and then got an in vitro fertilization. He was running for the major's election in Atlanta and I didn't want to bother him with the unsuccessful tries to get pregnant, so I did it all by myself. I told him he was going to be a father the day he won the election and I'll never forget the happiness in his face!"

"I'm sure he wanted a baby as much as you did," the angel offered. "But a lie is a lie..."

"And a lie always get discovered... He found out about Mike like half a year ago... I had never seen so much anger and discourage in someone's face as I did in his that day. He asked me for the divorce immediately but he stayed for Mike. God! They used to be so close... But Robert changed when he knew the truth and Mike felt it. He's being asking his father to stay and that's the only reason we are still together... He doesn't love me anymore..." the woman concluded sadly.

"But you do love him," Monica guessed.

"Yes, yes, I do!" Alice sobbed. "I did what I did 'cause I love him, 'cause he always talked about a family and a baby and I knew it would devastate him to know he was infertile! After Mike was born, I told him it was me the one that had trouble to get pregnant but that we would keep on trying. Mike became his biggest pride... and now..."

"We'll make him see, Alice, I promise to help you," Monica said standing up and hugging the woman. "God will help us."

"I keep on asking Him to spare my baby's life... to give me a second chance..."

"And praying is the best you can do..."

"I'm so tired and overwhelmed that... Achoo!" Alice sneezed.

"Bless... Oh no!" Monica murmured, one hand covering her open mouth.

"What?" Alice asked but when she touched her surgical mask and then removed it, she saw what the angel had seen. A big red droop of fresh blood. She took her hand to her nose and then to her mouth, the feeling of a warm liquid over her fingers very present now. She saw her wet fingers and lifted her head to meet Monica's gaze. The angel's brow eyes told her everything: a nightmare had come true.

9


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Washington 11:00 p.m. One week later

"Oh, Andrew, how I wish you were here with me," the little Irish angel murmured looking at the star filled sky Andrew loved so much in the balcony of the hospital. A single tear crossed her cheek and she wiped it away distractedly still thinking about her beloved blond angel that was so far from her now.

"Monica?" Gloria's voice made her turn and forget her silent meditations. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, Gloria, I'm fine..." she answered cleaning her last tears.

"Any news from Andrew and the others?"

"No," Monica replied looking down. "It's been a week since they went to the jungle and I haven't gotten a word from them."

"But it's been also a week without more cases," Gloria added. "I wonder if it is finally the ending..."

"I hope so too... I just can imagine how desperate their families must be feeling."

"You're right. It must be horrible to be fearing if your beloved ones are dying or not..." the younger angel said adjusting her gown around herself at a sudden and chill blow of wind. Only then she noticed Monica wasn't wearing hers. "Aren't you cold, Monica?"

"It's pretty hot tonight, isn't it?" she replied and then turned to face her friend. Gloria saw the sweat drops shinning on her forehead.

"Oh, my God! Are you alright?" the angel asked touching her forehead. "You've got a fever!"

"I'm fine..." the Irish angel argued weakly. "I've gotta go check on Alice," and then disappeared on the hallway.

Meanwhile Tess reached Robert, who was leaning over the window of the isolated room where now his whole family was fighting against death. "When did they let you know?" the dark skinned angel asked a man that barely resembled to the proud senator that had denied help to Monica.

"The people from my office just told me day before yesterday. I came as soon as I could."

"Now do you believe what Monica told you?"

"Yes..." he accepted with aching regret in his voice. "But it's too late."

"It's never too late to do the right thing, baby... especially when big apologies are needed. Alice told Monica everything about you and Mike," the older angel explained to the unspoken question she saw in his eyes. "You do love Alice and you do love your son."

"Mike is not my son."

"Yes, he is," Tess argued. "He's always been your son from the very moment you thought of him like that and you started to love him that way."

"But he doesn't have my blood!" he shouted.

"Now listen to me, Robert Grimsley," Tess said in her commanding tone. "A father is not necessarily the one that gives life but the one that raises a child to become a good man. St. Joseph and Jesus are a good example! What you have with Mike is something that can't be broken that easily. It's a shame it has cost you so much to realize it."

"Even if I accept that, it won't serve of much! I can't do anything!"

"What do you mean by you can't do anything? Weren't you having a meeting with other Health Ministers?"

"Yes, but they won't send any help to The Congo. It's too late".

"Why?"

"Because they consider that the priority is national security and with all the 40 cases and the 5 deaths confirmed here, they don't want any of the experts in these viruses away from here," Robert said finally meeting Tess' eyes.

"You mean that all the people out there in Africa will keep on waiting for...?" the angel couldn't continue.

"...for help that will never arrive? Yes."

"Jesus help us!" Tess couldn't help but exclaim. But when she was about to ask for more, she saw Gloria coming to her with a worried expression.

"Senator Grimsley," she greeted. "Tess, I'm glad I've found you."

"What is it, baby?" the dark skinned angel asked fearing what as to come.

"It's Monica... I'm afraid she has a fever..."

"What?! Monica?!" Tess and Robert asked at the same time and almost ran to her office, Gloria right at their heels.

"Angel girl, are you there?!" Tess knocked at her door. When she got no answer, she opened the door and ran to her charge.

"Monica, are you alright?" Robert asked.

Monica was leaning over her desk, her head resting on her arms. She seemed to be asleep and didn't respond to Robert and Tess' callings. The older angel touched her forehead. "She's burning with fever!" she screamed when she felt Monica's temperature. "We need to take her to a room immediately!"

"Andrew..." the little angel murmured.

"Shh... shh, angel baby, you'll be alright," Tess said stroking her hair.

"Andrew..."

"I think she's calling someone," Robert offered feeling himself very useless at the moment.

"Andrew, please come..."

"He will, baby," Tess said holding Monica's head against her chest and brushing her damp strands of hair away of her face. "But now you have to get better soon, sweetie, you have to!"

Impfondo, 11:00 a.m. The next day

"All right now, let's start descending him," Jack ordered to Adam, Rafael and two other men that were helping him to guide a line from where Andrew was hanging. They had been tracking the earlier cases of Ebola and had found out it had been a monkey the first to be sick and to die for it. Even more they had found some dead monkeys in the jungle and in a cavern over a big cliff, and Jack had insisted on collecting samples to analyze them. Andrew had offered to go pick them.

"Easy, guys!" Jack shouted. "Andrew, you have to help us maintain your weight by walking over the rocks and then letting the rope go out little by little, ok? Like that, yes, go on...!" the dark skinned man directed him.

The blond angel was already hanging about 10 feet when the sound of a car coming closer interrupted them. "Hey, watch out!" Jack told the men when he saw them turning to see a jeep. "Andrew, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" the angel shouted from the cliff.

"Then keep on descending! We need the samples for today!"

Still, Adam and Rafael turned too when they saw Henry getting out of the jeep and running to them. "Good we found you fast! Where's Andrew?" the angel for special cases asked.

"Down there, why?" Adam asked.

"What's going on?" Andrew asked when he noticed they were not helping him to descend now.

"What's happening, Henry?" Rafael asked noticing the angel's concern.

"It's Monica," he answered flatly. "I'm afraid she..."

"What?!"

"No way!" Rafael and Adam exclaimed at the same time. "Monica cannot be infected!" the angel of death said.

Andrew couldn't hear all the conversation but he heard Adam's last words. "What?" he asked incredulously. "Oh, no, Monica no!" he said and he decided to get up immediately. But by not telling the others, they were not prepared for the change in the pulling ropes so they tripped and released their holding. "Aaaaaaaargh!" they heard Andrew screaming.

"Andrew!!!" Jack, Henry, Adam and Rafael shouted at the same time and ran to the border of the cliff. Before they arrived they heard the sound of Andrew's body hitting the soil and the shout of pain from the angel.

"There he is!" said one of the other men that were working with them. Andrew was lying at the bottom of the gorge, his left arm in an awkward angle in respect to his body. He had been wearing a white shirt which was now all covered in dust and blood.

The next thing the angel knew was that he was standing in the middle of a beautiful forest. He could hear not too far from there the sound of a stream and everything around just smelled good, like fresh rain in a hot day. He inhaled deeply and the scent brought a sense of relief and peace to his heart. He then felt a pair of small hands slipping around his waist and the weight of a head resting on his back.

"I've been waiting for you," Monica's soft voice told him.

He turned in her arms so he could hold her tightly too, only then realizing they were both dressed in white. "I've missed you," he said simply and leaned down to kiss her with abandon. "Let's go Home," he suggested when they parted and they started to walk hand in hand.

6


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Let's go Home, sweetheart," Andrew told Monica taking her small hand. The little angel nodded and started to walk with him, but after a few steps she stopped.

"I can't Andrew," she said sadly.

He held her tightly and buried his face in her hair. "I can't see you suffering," he murmured with pain in his voice.

"I have to go back," she explained fighting her tears.

He let go on his hold and leaned down to kiss her one more time, a long kiss full of longing and pain. "I love you. I'll be waiting for you," was all he could say also fighting a tear that longed to escape his eye.

"She's back!" Gloria exclaimed when she saw Monica's heart monitor beeping again. "We have a rhythm!"

"Thank you, Father!" Tess murmured through her tears and went to stroke Monica's forehead. "Angel girl, don't do this again!" she warned her.

Gloria stepped back and saw the supervisor talking to the Irish angel, and then turned to see the other doctors that were now taking away the equipment they had used to give Monica electroshocks after her heart had failed.

"The next 72 hours will be critical," one of them told Gloria. "If she's infected but doesn't start to bleed, she may have a chance to make it."

"The results of the test don't show any signs of the virus, yet the symptoms are there," the angel said.

"I really hope she doesn't have it," the doctor said closing her file. "One week without cases was very good but this should remind us that we are not out of danger yet."

Gloria came closer to Tess and Monica after the doctors and the nurses had left the little angel stabilized and all set. "She really scared us," she commented.

"Father, she has to be all right," the dark skinned angel said still crying.

Gloria went to hug her moved by her tears. "We'll pray for her, Tess. She has so many things to do! We need her here!"

By the time Gloria and Tess were still by Monica's bed, Henry, Rafael, Adam and two men were working non-stop to take an angel and a doctor out of the gorge where an accident had taken them. Jack had descended to rescue Andrew and had found him unconscious, his left arm dislocated and a big branch stuck in his abdomen. Evaluating the seriousness of his injuries, the doctor had ordered the men that had come with Henry to go to the town and get a small plane ready to take them back to Brazzaville as soon as possible. Finally, after one long hour, Jack guided up an improvised stretcher where Andrew laid badly hurt.

"Adam, Rafael, get up in the jeep and make sure he stays still!" the doctor ordered the two angels while he placed his own shirt around the branch in the blond angel's stomach and Henry took the driver's place.

Soon they arrived to where the plane was waiting for them. Jack found an IV to fight the loss of blood and managed to stop the bleeding. "How long do we have?" Rafael asked helping the doctor to hang the bag inside the plane.

"That bag is his very life right now," he said meeting the young angel's worried eyes. "We have to arrive in less than two hours!"

"Is she infected?" Robert asked Gloria when he saw the young angel coming along the hallway of the isolated area that was now so familiar to him.

"We don't know," she replied looking through the window at Tess seated by Monica's side. "We're running a second test to make sure..."

"Of all the people that had been working here, she's the one that least deserved this."

"Mr. Grimsley, none deserved to get sick," Gloria argued. "This is a tragedy, not a divine punishment or something like that."

"It much feels like one," he commented.

"But it is not! God doesn't send diseases to punish His children! He's hurting to see so many dying and suffering! And He is helping us even if we may think things are too complicated! He sends us the people we need by our side and He will certainly see us through all this at the end!"

Somewhat surprised by Gloria's certainty, Robert didn't argue. He felt himself in debt with a woman that had been so patient with him even when he had been quite mean to her, and he certainly wanted to do something for the Irish angel that he could see now lying at the other side of the window. "Does Monica have a family?" he asked genuinely concerned. "Where are they? I could see them coming here with a special driver or a private plane."

Gloria shook her head. "Tess is almost a mother for her, that's why she won't leave her."

"Isn't she married?" he continued. "Or maybe a boyfriend... She was calling an Andrew when we found her."

"Andrew, yes! I'm sure she'll love to have him here but..."

"Tell me where he is!" Robert said, but his expectations disappeared when he heard Gloria's answer.

"He's in The Congo."

The doors of the OR opened with a noisy slam when Jack got in with Adam and Rafael pushing Andrew's stretcher. The IV bag was dripping its last drops but the people at Brazzaville's hospital were ready to help the blond angel. "Give him two units of O negative immediately and get him ready for surgery. I'll go get ready too!" the doctor ordered.

Adam, Rafael and Henry saw their coworker disappear behind the door and they felt awfully helpless once they were there.

"I could hardly believe this when I heard it!" Ronald said coming closer to them with Sam at his side. "Oh, my! Is it that bad news are never going to end?" he said pessimistically.

"Everything seems so unreal!" Adam commented. "First Monica, now Andrew... I wonder if there has been something similar before."

"How's Monica?" Rafael asked.

"Last news were that they took her out of a heart failure," Sam informed them. "Gloria called wanting to know if we had contacted Andrew. I didn't want to tell her anything about the accident until I was sure of what had happened. I think she and Tess have enough with Monica right now."

Time thickened for the angels while they waited for news about their friend. All of them had to go back to their work as the number of new cases had kept on being regular and the hospital was still crowded. Almost three hours later, Rafael and Adam went back to the surgery ward to ask about Andrew and found one of the doctors that had helped Jack.

"He's still in critical condition, he lost a lot of blood and the branch went through the upper part of his liver. Fortunately it didn't touch his kidneys or his lungs, otherwise we wouldn't be talking now," the doctor informed them.

"Where is he now?" Adam asked.

"He's about to be moved," he said and in that moment, they saw two men nurses moving him, all covered with the special suit they had been using to handle the sickest people.

"What?!" Rafael asked when they saw them taking him to an improvised isolated area by the recovery ward.

"He will be isolated now," the doctor barely explained. "Excuse me," he said and left them without more explanation.

Rafael and Adam looked at each other not understanding at all. When they turned to see if there was someone else who could give them more information, they saw Ronald and Sam coming to them with a somber expression.

"Now what?" Adam asked exasperatedly.

Sam lifted his head showing him to turn towards the isolated area. Jack was walking to get in there too, a nurse perfectly protected handling him some medical supplies and then making sure the plastic curtain that will keep the angel and the doctor separated from the rest of the hospital was perfectly sealed. The two younger angels turned to see them with no clue at all about what had happened in front of them.

"Isolated?" Rafael finally asked.

"Yes," Sam answered. "Raymond Mberi called while Jack was operating Andrew. He found Nikki bleeding through the mouth and the eyes. The monkey died about an hour ago..."

"Oh, no, Jack!" Rafael exclaimed. "Nikki bit him when he tried to get my cap back!"

"He's infected," Ronald said. "He knows that."

"But Andrew?" Adam asked.

"Jack touched Andrew's blood and he operated him," Sam explained. "He fears a possible exchange of fluids, and if that has happened... Andrew is infected as well."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Washington DC, 3:00 p.m. Two days after

"Ok, Tess, your turn," Gloria told the older angel getting into Monica's room. "You really need to eat something."

"I'll be back in a minute, Miss Wings," Tess told Monica taking her small hand and patting it lovingly. "Did you get Andrew, baby?"

"No, Tess," Gloria said and she saw hope leaving the older angel's eyes. "And it is strange. Sam keeps telling me he hasn't been able to tell him but he insists Andrew is ok... Something's wrong, I'm feeling so."

"I also feel that, baby," the supervisor said meeting the younger angel's worried eyes and then turning to see Monica. "Had Andrew know about her, he'd be here already no matter what... Don't leave her a second, Gloria," she said before leaving the room.

But when the older angel came back, she saw her out of the room talking to someone who she couldn't see clearly. "Gloria, why are...? Hello, baby!" Tess exclaimed and went to hug the angel of death.

"Hullo, Tess, it's so good to see you!"

"Definitely yes! But what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Monica," Adam said. "I got a direct order..." he pointed indicating the sky with his thumb.

"Where's Andrew?" the supervisor asked confused.

"That's what Adam was telling me, Tess," Gloria interrupted. "He... hum... he couldn't come..."

Tess turned to see Adam. "He had an accident, Tess," he explained ad then proceeded to tell them the whole story.

"This has to be a nightmare!" the dark skinned angel said and looked up at the sky. "Father, I know Your plan is always wise, but right now I can't understand it!"

"There's another reason why I'm here, "Adam told her. "With Andrew sick there... the Father wants you to go cover his place."

The older angel opened her mouth to argue but said nothing. Then she looked away for some seconds before closing her eyes, and sighed heavily. "Of course, baby. I'll be ready."

Jack was dozing off due to the hot temperature of the room and the high fever he had already gotten. He knew what was to come so he refused to get any medicines even to ease his symptoms, as they might be more useful to the other patients. All the supplies he had asked for were for Andrew. After two days, the angel's condition had remained stable, yet he hadn't woken up.

It was a weak moan what made Jack stand up with a jump and practically run to his friend's bed. "Andrew?" the doctor asked.

The blond angel moaned again and Jack quickly checked his vitals. "Jack?" Andrew asked in a very low voice fighting to open his eyes.

"Yes, Andrew! Good you're awakening!"

"What happened?"

"You scared the death out of us, pal!" the doctor said checking on his friend's pupils.

Andrew blinked a couple of times and then he remembered. "Monica!" he shouted and tried to get up, but a sharp pain in his stomach made him lay down again. "Aargh!"

"Easy there!" Jack told him. "You've just gotten out of a surgery! Where do you think you're going?"

"Jack! Monica? What happened to her?!"

"She's sick, Andrew," the doctor told him and saw the deep pain in the angel's green eyes. "As far as I know, she was found with a high fever but she's not bleeding. Your friend Adam has gone there to see her."

"No, Father, please!" Andrew murmured looking away and feeling his heart heavier than ever.

Jack saw him and felt really sorry for him. He didn't know what to say, he knew he had to tell Andrew about him getting infected and about the possibility of him getting sick too but that was not the right moment. The angel was hurting for the woman he loved... just as he had hurt years ago.

The next morning the angel was feeling way much better. He and Jack had taken their breakfast and Andrew was now sitting and leaning against the headboard of his bed, trying to forget the pain in the right side of his abdomen. "Your intestine is working just fine," Jack said with the stethoscope still over the angel's stomach.

"I guess it will start complaining of hunger in a few hours again," the blond angel joked.

"It's good to see you in such a good mood," the doctor said and then proceeded to examine the scar of the surgery. It was when Andrew felt the high temperature of the man.

"Jack, you're burning!"

Jack put away the stethoscope and took a chair before talking to the angel. "Andrew, I wasn't completely honest with you when I told you it was just a precaution that we were isolated. Do you remember Nikki, the monkey that welcomed us in Impfondo?" The angel nodded. "He died... of Ebola."

Now it was Andrew's turn to be speechless: Jack was telling him he was going to die!

"I know I'm not gonna make it, Andrew," the man said. "The infection is a 100 sure, he bit me and he made me bleed. The fever started yesterday and my body is aching now. But you have a chance, buddy. I was really careful when I operated you and when I stopped the bleeding back there at the jungle, my hand wasn't bleeding anymore..."

The truth hit Andrew hard but he understood easily, and at the end the certainty of the Father's word in his heart told him what his assignment was: he would escort Jack Home, a man that had willingly risked his life for long weeks now to help the people there. The only question he had was why he had come to his assignment so soon. "There's nothing to be afraid, Jack," Andrew told him. "Death is not an ending but a beginning..."

The man snorted ironically. "Save the religious discourse, Andrew. I don't believe in Heaven. I think when it's over, it's over."

"Are you ready to know the truth, Jack?" the angel insisted knowing now what his assignment was. "Are you ready to acknowledge there's a God and a Heaven and you'll be seeing Him soon?"

"Andrew, how can you still believe there is a God after what you've seen here?" the doctor said disgustedly. "After what's happening to you? After what's happening to Monica? How could I believe in a loving God when He took away from me what I loved the most in the world and let me live alone and grieving forever?"

"It is not God's will for you to suffer, Jack, and it is not His will that I had that accident and that Monica may be infected. He is with us right now and He is with her too..."

"Too naive!" the doctor said.

"Nope. It is the truth and you'll see it soon," the angel said. "I've seen it. Death is not the end."

"What would you do if Monica died, Andrew?" Jack asked with anger, thinking he'd touched a especially sensitive cord in his friend's heart and that he wouldn't argue then.

"I trust God to do what is the best for her..."

"You mean you don't mind if she dies? I thought you said you were in love!"

"I am in love, Jack, and I do care if she dies! But I also care about her suffering, the pain she must be going through and I don't want that for her at all."

"Aren't you dying to see her again? To hold her and kiss her? If you were as in love as I was..."

"Of course I'm longing to see her, Jack! And of course I'm worrying to death about her, but I also know I have to trust God with her life!"

"No, Andrew, you're not in love! When you are and the person you love the most is dying, your whole world is dying with her! You don't want her far away in Heaven, you want her in your arms!" the doctor was pacing furiously along the little room.

"That sounds very selfish, you know?"

"Love is selfish! Love is when a woman becomes your world and your only truth, and all you know is her presence in your life as the most certain thing of all! And what you want is that certainty, to be sure about when you'll have her back where she belongs: by your side!"

"Jack, I know I'll see Monica again," the angel said calmly.

"When? Where? In Washington? Here in Brazzaville? Or in the middle of the Sahara?" Jack asked sarcastically.

Andrew knew the man was taking out a deep pain he had kept in his heart and he didn't want to fight him, so when the angel heard the last part of the man's question, he smiled and joked to ease the mood. "Hum... Not a bad idea. Monica loves the desert, especially a spot in the Colorado's Canyon. I'm sure she'll love to see the Sahara..."

Jack couldn't help but chuckle at the angel's reply, and felt his raising anger stop. Seeing his assignment relax, Andrew prepared a last talking. "I don't know when or where I'm seeing Monica again, Jack, but I know I will. That was God's promise when He sent us in different ways... and it was His promise to you too. Monica and I will be together again someday... here, in Washington... or somewhere under the desert's moon."

Jack met the angel's green eyes and the sincerity he saw there left him no place for more arguing. Instead he nodded and then moved to his bed and lay there in silence, Andrew's words still weighing in his heart.

Tess and Adam came into Monica's room in the morning after a night of good sleep. Gloria had insisted the older angel needed to rest as she was going to work hard in Africa. "Good morning, baby," she greeted Gloria with her muffled voice under the surgical mask. "How is she doing?"

"Her vitals keep on being stable," the angel answered. "The fever is low now and her heart beat is back to normal."

"Oh, Miss Wings, I wish you were awaken before I go..." Tess said stroking her forehead.

As if her wish was accomplished by a genius, in that moment Monica stirred and tried to open her eyes. "She's awakening!" Adam exclaimed.

"Baby? Monica?" Tess and Gloria said at the same time each in a side of her bed.

"Tess..." Monica murmured still fighting not to sleep again.

"Oh, Father, thank you!" the older angel said deeply moved.

"You had us really worried, Monica," Gloria said resting a hand on her supervisor's shoulder, her eyes bright with tears.

"Thanks God you're back!"

"What happened?" the Irish angel asked. "What happened with Mike and Alice?"

"They are ok, baby," Tess answered taking her small hand between hers. "They are still fighting. But I found you in your office burning in fever. You've been here for almost four days now."

"You're a strong fighter, Monica," Adam said coming closer to his friend too. "We were all very worried."

"Thanks, Adam," the little angel answered now more conscious. "Where... where's Andrew?"

Gloria and Tess turned to see him and he didn't know what to do for a moment. He couldn't tell her Andrew was ok, he couldn't lie! But he didn't want to make her suffer more... He met Tess' gaze and he knew he had to tell her the truth. "He... he couldn't come, Monica."

"Why?"

"He... had an accident."

"What?!" the little angel asked trying to sit up, but Tess and Gloria stopped her. "No, no, Father, please!"

"He's ok, Monica! He was operated and he'll be ok!" the angel of death assured her.

"Operated? But why? Where is he?!" Monica said starting to cry.

Some time later, when she had fully regained consciousness and has calmed down after knowing about her beloved friend, Adam helped the little angel to sit on her bed. Gloria had gone to check on Monica's patients and Tess was giving instructions to the nurses that would take her place, so Adam had taken the opportunity to talk to his friend and keep her company while she ate a little of Jell-O and tea. "I called to Brazzaville today in the morning. Sam told me Andrew woke up yesterday too," Adam said.

"Do they know already if he's been infected?" she asked.

"The first results didn't show the presence of the virus, but Jack has fever already."

"Poor him! This is such a hard way of dying, so painful and there's nothing you can do to help..."

"Yeah... And back there is worse... You just have to turn and see the one beside you to see what will happen to you."

They stayed in silence for some minutes, Monica taking small spoons of Jell-O. Adam studied her carefully, knowing that as bad as she may be feeling, she was fighting with her human form to be able to go back to the people that needed her the most. "Andrew misses you a lot," he said finally breaking the silence.

Monica met his gaze and smiled, her eyes shining with the special bright Andrew brought to them. "I miss him too, Adam. Though I saw him the other day... when my heart was failing and I guess when he had the accident, we were going Home but then I got the word to come back..."

"I've seen so many people die, but I never thought angels could die too," he commented.

"You know? I'm not sure if we were dying, Adam," Monica said. "We know the spirit doesn't die, and ours can't die either. I guess it was just our human form..."

"Human form or not, you really scared us!" Adam chuckled. "Maybe we've spent too much time on Earth recently and we're starting to share humans fears now!"

"That's not bad for an angel... Understand human fears and help them go over them..."

Adam smiled seeing the old Monica was back, the tender, caring angel she had always been. At that moment, Tess came back to the room. "All right, Adam, I'm ready."

"Whenever you want, Tess," he said standing up.

"Are you going somewhere?" Monica asked somewhat scared.

"Baby," the older angel said coming closer and taking her hand, "the Father has called me to go to The Congo and take Andrew's place until he's fully recovered. I didn't want to go until you were awaken, but you're better now and I'm needed there..." She took a seat on the bed and pulled the little angel in a loving hug. "You'll have to stay and concentrate on getting well soon, Monica. You still have an assignment here..."

"Who's gonna give me advice?" Monica asked with the tone of a little girl.

The older angel couldn't help but chuckle. "You stopped needing my advice long ago, Miss Wings! You're capable of handling everything by yourself!"

"But I'm gonna miss you, Tess."

"I'm gonna miss you too, but we'll be meeting soon again. Meanwhile I'm gonna check on Andrew, and I'll tell him how much you miss him."

"Tell him I love him," the Irish angel asked.

"And he loves you a lot too!" Adam interrupted and he handled her a little velvet bag. "He brought this for you the day we arrived to Brazzaville."

Monica took the bag and opened it revealing the silver necklace the blond angel had gotten for her. Two big tears rolled down her cheeks and she pressed the necklace against her chest. "Thank you, Adam. Please, take care of him and Tess."

"I will, Monica," he said leaning down to kiss her cheek. "We need to go now.

Tess hugged her charge again and then walked to Adam's side. "We'll be waiting for you, baby," the supervisor said. "We love you and we trust you."

Monica nodded and saw them disappear.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Louise was a nurse here in Brazzaville, in this very hospital," Jack's voice woke up Andrew and made the blond angel to sit up a little and turn to face him. Jack was now lying on a bed next to the angel's, sweating with the fever and his whole body aching a lot. An occasional drop of blood from his nose told him the end was coming. "I still remember the first time I saw her, standing at the door of the doctor's lounge, telling me it was 6 o'clock and my shift had begun. It was an image I wanted to wake up with forever!"

Jack turned to see Andrew. The angel smiled and the man continued. "It took me a while to confess my love for her but at the end I did it. We dated for about a year, the happiest of my life."

"And then what happened?"

"It was the early 80's when we didn't know a lot about AIDS, about how you could get infected or about the risks you had when working with sick people. There was an accident not far from here. A school bus crashed and a little girl crashed against a window. The glass was stuck everywhere in her body, even in her face. It was so painful to see her! And she was just five years old. We started to work on her immediately but we couldn't sedate her as her blood pressure was too low. She moved because of the pain and Louise cut her hand. We didn't know but the girl had AIDS. Louise had diabetes and without a proper treatment, as there wasn't any then, her health worsen quickly. We ran all kinds of tests on her and we got the results the day I was going to ask her to marry me."

"Did you still propose?" Andrew asked.

"Yes. All I wanted was to be able to call Louise my wife. But a few days before the wedding a sudden summer storm caught her on her way back home. She was very weak and she got fulminating pneumonia. Her mother took her to the hospital immediately but it was too late. She only make it through the night and died the following morning... three days before the wedding."

After Jack finished his story, Andrew remained silent for a minute, then he added, "And you blamed God for Louise's death..."

"Who else could be?" the man answered. "It was only three days before she became my wife! Why couldn't we make come truth what we wanted the most? Why did she had to get AIDS in the first place?"

"God didn't give her AIDS, Jack, that was not His will. Louise got AIDS because she decided to help the little girl and it was a risk she decided to take..."

"But we didn't know the girl had AIDS! That was not Louise's choice!" Jack argued.

"It was even if she didn't know about the AIDS. It was her choice to help her just as it was your choice to help the first patient you got with Ebola even before you knew it was indeed Ebola..." the angel explained.

"I had to help them. I'm a doctor, I'm here to help them and to try to safe their lives..."

"But you do know you risk to get sick 'cause you never know what your next patient may have. That's something all doctors and nurses know, and it is your choice to decide to take that risk and become a doctor or a nurse, or choose another profession."

"You're right..." Jack accepted.

"I know you wanted to marry Louise and it's terrible she died just three days before your wedding, but she was suffering, Jack, she was in a terrible pain when she got the pneumonia. As any father, God doesn't want to see His children in pain and she was too sick to get well..."

"Are you telling me it was the best for her to die?"

"Being that sick and with no chances to get better... I think that you, as a doctor, know well enough when one of your patients has no chance to have a good quality of life anymore. Don't you give them all kind of medicines to help them to bear the pain even when you know they'll die in some hours or days at most?"

"Yes, I do..." the doctor accepted. "I've even thought the best for some of them would be to die as soon as possible... I mean, when they are too sick or too badly hurt."

"I know that, Jack, and God knows it even better. That's why He knows when someone has to die... and He sends an angel to take them Home."

"An angel?" the man asked meeting Andrew's gaze. "You mean there is an angel with every people who dies?"

"Yes, there is. Just as there was an angel with Louise and just as there will be one with you..."

"Andrew, how can you know that?" he asked still fighting to accept what his friend was telling him. "There is no proof of something like that! You can't know for sure..."

"I know it, Jack, because I am one of those angels. I am an Angel of Death," Andrew said sitting on his bed.

"Yeah, right! You're an angel and you are lying on a bed with an arm hurt and a big scar on your stomach!"

"When God sends His angels to Earth, we have to take human form to be able to reach you and make you trust us and trust Him. I know it's weird to believe we can get hurt or sick, but He moves in mysterious ways and we all are instruments of His plan. Louise saw the truth before she died, an angel was by her side and took her to meet the Father when her time here was over, and she lives now in His presence..."

Jack could swear the man sitting on the bed next to his was the most human of the human beings, but there was something in his words that had finally reached his heart. Most important, the man wanted to believe what the angel was telling him, even when he hadn't been magically healed or when there hadn't been a sudden miracle in the room. What Jack was seeing in Andrew's green eyes wasn't the studied discourse of a fanatic but the most absolute and sincere truth, and that fact still scared him a lot. He was facing something he had tried to deny for years. "If you really are an angel, do something to make me believe it," the doctor asked in a defiant tone.

"You better believe him, Jack McKinney, because he is an angel and angels don't lie," Tess' strong voice filled the room and made Andrew turn to see her with a wide smile on his face.

"Tess!" Andrew exclaimed.

"Hello, Andy, how's my angel boy doing?" the supervisor went to hug him.

"How did you get here?!" Jack asked very surprised. "None is supposed to get in here!"

"I don't need a permission. I am an angel and a plastic curtain is nothing for me," Tess said and her white attire seemed to start to glow.

"Oh my...!" the man murmured almost speechless.

"Finish the sentence, Jack. 'Oh, my God!'" the dark skinned angel told him. "Yes, there is a God and He's sent an angel to be with you in these hard moments, so when the time comes you can go to Him with your heart clean of sorrow and pain, and full of joy and peace. He loves you. You can be sure of it, you can accept that and stop fighting with what your heart already believes."

Tess and Andrew had remained talking to Jack for a little while more until the man had drifted off to sleep. Sitting on Andrew's bed, both angels were looking at him before the supervisor started to talk. "It's good to see you back, angel boy."

"It's good to be fine again! Though I should be mad at you..." he said in mock indignation.

"Mad at me?" Tess asked.

"Yeah! I almost kicked the bucket and you didn't even bring me chocolates!" the blond angel joked crossing his arms over his chest and pouting as a spoiled little boy.

"Oh, you...!" the older angel said slapping him on the arm playfully and then hugging him again. When she released him, they turned to look at Jack again. "You're doing a great job, baby. He's a hard case."

"I wish Monica was here!" Andrew exclaimed. "She'd do a much better job than me!"

Tess smiled and met his gaze, easily reading what was in his green eyes. "She's doing just fine, Andy. She really scared us, but she was awake and talking when I left her."

"I'm dying to see her, Tess. You can't imagine what these days have been for me, knowing she was sick and we were so far from each other..."

"I know and the Father knows, but I'm sure you'll be together again very soon and this won't be but a very bad dream..."

He reached to take the supervisor's hand and squeezed it. "Yes, I know... I just want to wake up as soon as possible."

Washington 4:00 p.m. Two days later

Gloria got into Monica's room pushing a wheel chair and the Irish angel couldn't help but look at her questioningly. "It's for you," the young angel explained. "I guess you'll want to use it as soon as I tell you what happened an hour ago."

"What?" Monica asked.

"Mike woke up. He's conscious now, he has no fever and he's even trying to eat."

"Oh, God! That's wonderful news!" the Irish angel exclaimed with eyes bright with joy. "I want to see him!"

"I know, let me help you."

Mike, as well as Monica, had been moved to a normal room now, and the boy was obediently eating a chicken soup under the attentive look of a nurse, when the two angels came in.

"Hello, Mike. This is my friend Monica," Gloria told him. "She was the first doctor to see you when you came in here, and she wanted to see you."

"Can't you walk?" the little boy asked innocently when he saw the Irish angel on the chair.

"No, I can walk, Mike. It's just that I was sick and I get tired easily," Monica explained.

"I know. I was sick too and I also feel tired", he said reaching to take Monica's arm. She looked at his little hand and saw how thin it was after so many days sick and how big the bruise around his veins was after so many IV's. "Did you have what I had?"

"Seems so..." Monica replied.

"Don't worry, you're gonna be ok," he said now stroking the angel's auburn hair as if she was the kid and he the grown person. "The worst part is over and God is watching you."

Monica smiled at the boy's words. "Thank you, Mike. I know God was watching over both of us during these days."

The boy smiled back at her and then lowered his head. "Is my mommy going to be alright?"

Monica cupped his chin to make him see her. "She's still fighting, sweetheart. We have to keep on praying for her..."

"Can I see my dad? I don't want him to be mad at me anymore..."

"No, Mike, he was not mad!" Monica told the boy. She made a big effort to stand up from the chair and take a seat on the bed to hug him.

"He was mad at my mommy too..."

"You know? Sometimes people who love each other do some things that end up hurting the ones they love even when that was not their intention. But real love can heal that hurting and your dad loves you and your mom a lot!"

"Can you tell him to come and see me?"

"He's working, honey, but I'll call him and ask him to come as soon as possible, ok? I promise he'll come," Monica said and smiled at seeing the boy's eyes full of hope.

"Thank you," Mike murmured.

"You're more than welcome," she said hugging him again.

Washington 7:00 p.m.

Being as active as she's always been, Monica was having a hard time staying in bed most of the time. She was taking now short walks along the corridor, but the truth was that she got tired after a few steps and she certainly couldn't go back to work like this. Gloria had brought her a CD player and some slow, romantic songs that were almost drifting her off to sleep. Besides, after being with Mike, she had insisted on going check on Alice and then call to Robert's office, but his secretary had informed he was in a reunion with other members of the Senate. She had decided she'd wait for him to come, so in the mean time she was trying to write a letter for Andrew.

"Come in," she said suppressing a yawn when she heard a knock in the door.

"Good night, Monica," Robert greeted her. "You look much better today."

"Thanks, Robert. I feel much better."

"Michel Bolton, huh?" the man said taking the box of the CD Gloria had left playing. "It's one of Alice's favorites too..."

"Robert," Monica started, "I called you precisely to talk about Alice and Mike. Have you seen him?"

"No. I... can't find the courage to face him," the man said obviously ashamed.

"He thinks you're mad at him and that you don't love him anymore because of something he might have done wrong..."

"No! It's not his fault! It would never be!"

"Then tell him, Robert! Don't tell me you don't love him because you do! I know you spent these nights in your office, alone, almost without sleeping because you couldn't bare your house alone, without Mike's laughter or Alice's music. I know more than once you lifted your face and gulped hard at the very thought of facing the rest of your life without them..."

"How do you know it?" the senator asked very surprised.

"I know it, Robert. I can see it in your eyes."

"I did it..." he said closing his eyes, a tear crossing his cheek. "I wouldn't know how to live without them... but I don't know how to live with that lie..."

"You're not living with a lie now. You're living with a truth. And that truth has come from love, from the love you feel for your son and from the love you feel for your wife..." the little angel told him clearly fighting to remain awaken.

"How do I face them? How do I tell Mike he's not my son but I love him anyway? How do I tell Alice I forgive her and that she has to forgive me if she..." Robert took a deep breath "...if she's still in danger and I can't get in and touch her, kiss her as I'd like to do?"

"One step at a time..." Monica reached her hand and he took it. "Mike is fine, he's recovering, and he needs you, he needs the loving father he's always had in you..."

"I don't even dare to think Alice might..."

Monica squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I can't tell you if she's going to live, but I can tell you to trust God with her life. He can heal the sickest body and mend the most hurting heart, and even if He called her to His side... I can promise you you'll see her in Heaven one day..."

Robert cleared his tears away before he could respond. "I want to trust Him, Monica, but I'm so afraid of what I'd do alone!"

"I know that, Robert, believe me... I've wondered the same after what happened with me and Andrew..." the Irish angel said.

"Oh, yes... Your friend Gloria told me he was in The Congo and had had an accident..." He saw Monica's eyes shining with a sudden spark of pain. "But you'll be together soon again, I'm sure."

"And so will you... with your family. I'm sure..."

Seeing the little angel was fighting not to sleep, Robert decided it was better for him to go. "I'll let you sleep, Monica."

"Promise you'll go see Mike?"

"Yeah..." he murmured wondering how could be someone so interested in the others even when she was barely recovering from a terrible disease.

Monica saw him going out and reached to take the notebook where the letter for Andrew was. She started to read it again, but the lyrics of the song that was now playing called her attention and she closed her eyes to listen to it... little by little surrendering to sleep.

_I talk to you but its not the same as touchin' you  
And every time you whisper my name, I wanna run to you  
We'll be together, it won't be long, it won't be long  
But it feels like forever, and its hard to be strong_

Monica was asleep when Robert opened her door again. He had come back to ask her if she wanted him to call to Brazzaville to know how Andrew was doing, but he realized she was too tired to wake her up. He noticed the song and listened for a little while, smiling at how oddly appropriate it seemed...

_Baby 'cause I'm missing you now  
And its drivin' me crazy  
How I'm needin' you baby  
I'm missing you now_

_Can't wait till I'm alone with you  
To show you how I'm missing you now_

Robert noticed the notebook in Monica's hand and took it to place it on the nightstand, but a line of the letter called his attention and he read it...

At the same time, Andrew woke up with the first rays of light of a new day. Someone at the nurses station had turned on a radio and the angel listened to the song that was being played, his thoughts immediately going to a certain little angel he missed so much...

_Wishin' you were here by my side is all that I can do  
Got my arms around my pillow at night, they should be  
holdin' you  
Thought I was stronger, how could I know, how could  
I know  
I can't take this much longer, its so hard on my soul_

_Baby 'cause I'm missing you now  
And its drivin' me crazy  
How I'm needin' you baby  
I'm missing you now_

_Can't wait till I'm alone with you  
To show you how I'm missing you now_

_Baby I just can't wait, till I see your face  
Chase away this loneliness inside  
When you're close to my heart, right here in my arms  
Then and only then, will I be satisfied  
I'm missing you now_

_  
I know_

_We'll be together, it won't be long, it won't be long  
But it feels like forever, and its hard to be strong_

_Baby 'cause I'm missing you now  
And its drivin' me crazy  
How I'm needin' you baby  
I'm missing you now_

_Can't wait till I'm alone with you  
To show you how I'm missing you now_

(_Missing you now_ by Michel Bolton and Kenny G)


	10. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Well, good morning, sleepyhead" Gloria's voice was what Monica first heard in the morning. She blinked several times before she could open her eyes, still feeling weak after so many days in bed.

"G'morning," she mumbled.

"You have a visitor," Robert's voice made her turn and see the man with Mike in his arms.

"Hello, Mike," Monica said now fully awake.

"Hi! Are you feeling better?" the boy asked.

"Yes, honey, thank you," the angel told the boy. "I see your dad went to see you."

"This morning, first hour!" Robert said kissing the boy's cheek. "He's had a good breakfast and, if he behaves, I promised him a cake for tonight. Will you like a piece, Monica?"

"Sure!" the little angel smiled at the image of her assignment with his son in arms.

"Senator Grimsley, you've gotta come!" a nurse got into the room almost shouting. "It's your wife!"

"Oh, no, Father, please!" Monica and Gloria heard Robert praying before he left his son on Monica's bed and ran out of the room with Gloria behind him.

"Mommy!" Mike cried and he tried to follow his father but the little angel stopped him.

"Wait, Mike, I'll go with you," Monica said and slowly she got out of bed and put her robe on.

When Monica and Mike finally arrived to Alice's room, Gloria was standing at the door frame looking at the scene behind her with tears in her eyes. "She woke up!" the young angel informed them. "She's going to be alright!"

"Thanks, Father!" Monica said looking at Mike and at Robert, who was tenderly stroking Alice's hair and kissing her hand.

"When am I going to see my mommy?" Mike asked about two hours later. Gloria had taken the boy and Monica back to the angel's room so Robert could have a time alone with his wife.

"It won't be long, sweetheart," Monica said taking her turn in the game of checkers she was sharing with the boy. "Your mommy will be moved to a normal room soon and your daddy had some things to talk to her."

"He won't leave the house, will he?" the boy asked with sad eyes.

"I don't think so, Mike. Your daddy loves you and your mom a lot!"

At that moment, a knock at the door made them turn. "Come in," Monica said.

"Dad!" Mike exclaimed jumping to his father's neck immediately. "How's mommy?"

"She's sleeping now, big boy, but as soon as she wakes up, we'll go to see her, ok? Now I need a word with your friend here..." Robert said smiling at the curious look in Monica's eyes. "Do you think you'll be able to travel like in five days?"

"Travel? Where?"

"What would you say about Brazzaville?"

The sparkle of happiness in the angel's hazel brown eyes was undeniable: Brazzaville... The Congo... Andrew! "Are you saying that...?"

Robert nodded. "Ten doctors, three full hospital units leaving in three days. We're going two days after 'cause I want to be sure Mike, Alice and you are feeling better. Of course they are not going, but I guess nothing will keep you here..."

Monica smiled and shook her head enthusiastically, her eyes bright with tears. "No, I will go!"

"I knew it," Robert said. "I've already talked to a Sam... something. He said he knew you and Andrew and that nurse that was here... Tess. They are all waiting for you!"

"Robert... how did you get all that? Gloria told me you had had problems..."

"I learned my lesson in the hardest way, Monica. But yesterday, after I talked to you, I called the President directly. It took me a while but he accepted and gave a direct order to the Ministry of Health... I must admit your words made the difference," the man told her.

"My words?" the little angel asked.

"I saw the letter you're writing for Andrew... And that made me remember I have someone to fight so hard for too, two 'someone's' actually," he said kissing his son's cheek. "Andrew is a very lucky guy, Monica. You are a real angel."

Monica blushed at his words, half for the compliment, half for the happiness to know she'd be seeing Andrew soon. "Thank you, Robert."

"Thanks to you!" the man smiled. "I'm leaving now. I have many things to do and you have to get as strong as possible in five days, ok?"

Five days seemed a very short time for Gloria and the remaining medical team that would join the first ten doctors that had already gone to Brazzaville. Once there, they had called Washington to give a full list of what they needed the most so the second team would take all that with them. Nearly a ton of medical supplies was already waiting in the special plane that would take Senator Grimsley and his team to The Congo to personally supervise the operations in the city.

Nevertheless, five days seemed eternal for one little angel that wanted nothing more but to be already in Brazzaville's hospital and see her dearest friend. The news about going to meet Andrew had made Monica to recover quickly, eat better and be able to take longer walks along the hospital. She had gone to visit Alice and the woman had noticed the unmistakable spark of joy in her brown eyes. Finally the day of the departure had come and both Monica and Alice had said good bye, reassuring each other that the nightmare was really coming to an end.

It was late in the night when the noises of a big agitation made Andrew and Jack wake up. Two days before they had known that the so wanted international help had arrived and now apparently some more people had come.

"What's all that?" Jack asked weakly. The man was now having some periods of lucidity mixed with longer ones of hallucinations due to the fever and the constant loss of blood.

Andrew climbed down his bed and walked to the plastic curtain that keep them isolated. As much as he tried, he couldn't see but a slim part of the corridor and he couldn't guess where the voices and the noises came from. "I don't know..." the blond angel muttered standing on his tippy toes to try to see more. "Seems like there are more people coming..."

"What time is it, Andrew?"

"Almost eleven," he replied checking his golden pocket watch.

"If they are new doctors, don't you think they'd wait until tomorrow?" the doctor reasoned.

"Unless..." the angel said, but suddenly a distant voice made his heart jump.

"Over the corner, that way, angel girl..." Tess' voice indicated in the distance.

"Unless...?" Jack asked his friend when he noticed the state of expectation of the angel.

"Andrew!"

"Monica!"

Jack made a superior effort to sit up on his bed and looked at the blond angel with a bittersweet feeling of joy and sadness.

Monica had all but ran to the area where her beloved angel was and tears were now rolling down her pale cheeks, her small hand trying to touch Andrew's over the thick plastic.

Her tears, her small hands, her trembling lips and especially her closeness were a physical ache for the blond angel that had tried to hold her even through the plastic but had found it frustratingly impossible. "Angel..." Andrew murmured tracing Monica's cheek.

The little angel rested her head over the curtain to feel Andrew's warm touch through it. "I'm here..." she repeated once and again. "I love you..."

"Don't cry, baby," he whispered.

"I'm here, Andrew. I came to you..."

"Monica... if I only could hold you..."

It was almost one in the morning when Tess managed to convince her charge to go to the hotel and rest properly after the long trip.

Two days more passed with the same ritual: Monica spending long hours outside the curtain, so close and yet so far from Andrew. Jack observed them almost every time, sometimes seeing Louise and himself sharing that sweet unending chatting of the people in love. Doctors had refused to let Monica in the isolated area and it had broken Andrew's heart to have to refuse to get out and leave Jack alone, but he knew his assignment still needed him there.

Finally, one afternoon, Jack surprised Andrew with his question. "Does God know I was so angry and hurting when I doubted Him, Andrew?"

"Yes, Jack, He did," the blond angel answered coming closer to him.

"He understands your heart just as He understands the heart of all His children..." Monica's voice surprised both the man and the angel.

"You are an angel too!" the doctor whispered seeing her glowing.

"Yes, I am. And I'm here to tell you you've done something great with your life, Jack, you've done what many people wouldn't be willing to do."

"I couldn't help as many people as I wanted. Many died!"

"You helped as may people as you could. And you'll still help them even if you're not in this Earth anymore. Your example will be followed by many not only here but all around the world, and many people will live thanks to that," the little angel said.

"But I couldn't make Louise happy..."

"You did make her happy. She met love with you. She found illusion for her life when even her closer relatives thought she was supposed to die soon because of the diabetes. She saw in you a honest and very devoted man who gladly offered her and every patient his very life. She still loves you and she's waiting for the moment you'll be together again."

"She still loves me?" Jack asked incredulously.

"Oh, yes!" Andrew answered blinking back the tears he had in her eyes after hearing Monica's words. "When two people share a love as yours, death cannot separate them forever. Distance doesn't mean separation... It's just a way to make love grow stronger." He then took Monica's hand and both released a sigh of contentment at the long awaited contact.

"Then I'm ready, Andrew..." Jack murmured and at that moment, the heart monitor that had been attached to him a couple of days ago started to beep frantically.

"Let's go Home, Jack," the blond angel now all dressed in white told his friend offering him a hand. They still turned after a couple of steps and they saw Monica closing the eyes of the man's body and nodding in agreement...

The big full moon seemed bigger than ever before with the mixed shadows of blue and yellow in contrast with the deep black sky of the desert and the dark golden of the sand that seemed to become one with the sky at the end. After seeing Andrew taking Jack to Heaven, Monica had gone to where her heart was calling her: the big Sahara. She was standing at the top of a high dune, the sand feeling still warm under her bare feet, the wind making her hair float over her shoulders like a delicate veil.

Andrew's heart felt full of love at her sight, knowing she was finding renewed energies after the hard, faith-proving assignment they had just finished.

"I dreamed night after night with this moment," she said feeling him coming closer. "It was driving me crazy."

He wasted no time in holding her closer and leaned down to kiss her long. She sighed in relief when he finally allowed her to come for air, her hungry hands seeming not to have enough of running all the length of his back. "You can't possibly know what this has been for me either," the blond angel said kissing every inch of her face. "I need you to live, angel. My heart is empty without you."

"But we were supposed to meet again, Andrew," she murmured against his lips, breathing in his warm breath.

"We are meant to be together forever, baby," he whispered closing his eyes and kissing her again. "Nothing's gonna change that."

THE END


End file.
